Eight persons, mostly market women, and children from Jama, a farming community along the reservoir of Bui Power Authority at Banda in the Brong Ahafo Region, are reported dead after a boat they were traveling on capsized on Friday.
The deceased were being transported from the community to Accra Town, an illegal settlement along the banks of the Bui Power Project for market activities. The victims got drowned when the outboard motored boat when which they were
Reports say the outboard motor of the boat developed a mechanical fault.
An emergency boat they called on to assist them broke down on its way, leaving the passengers to their fate.
Although divers close to the water bank helped rescue some 25 passengers, 8 others could not be found.
The Corporate Affairs Manager of Bui Power Authority, Mrs. Cherie Lawson Adamu, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, said “early in the morning they received reports that two boats had capsized on the dam around our reservoir and immediately the Navy who have been deployed around the Bui area were dispatched to go on to the reservoir on a search mission to check and the information we have is that the boat was carrying market women towards the Jama area, the northern part of Bui for market day transactions when they developed a fault around Accra Town and a second boat sent to rescue and help them with their outboard motor but unfortunately both boats capsized.”
She said personnel from the Navy are on a search mission for the eight missing persons.
Lawson Adamu lamented that activities and operations of the illegal settlers on the catchment of the Authority was a source of worry necessitating the deployment of the Navy to patrol the boundaries.
She therefore appealed to residents to cooperate with her outfit to deliver efficient service to the benefit of Ghanaians.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)